Andean Condor
Andean condors are massive birds, among the largest in the world that are able to fly. Because they are so heavy (up to 33 pounds), even their enormous 10-foot wingspan needs some help to keep them aloft. For that reason, these birds prefer to live in windy areas where they can glide on air currents with little effort. Andean condors are found in mountainous regions, as their name suggests, but also live near coasts replete with ocean breezes and even deserts that feature strong thermal air currents. Characteristics These condors are mostly black, but males have a distinctive white “collar” around their necks and some white markings on their wings as well. Like their relatives, the California condors, Andean condors have bald heads. Biology Andean condors roost on cliff faces and use thermal currents to lift off in the morning, and then spend most of the day soaring on updrafts looking for food. These birds scavenge on the remains of sheep, llamas, cattle, seals and occasionally newborn animals or the eggs of seabirds. The Andean condor’s excellent eyesight allows it to spot a carcass from several miles away, and this bird is also known to watch the behaviour of other animals or follow smaller scavenging birds to find a carcass. Its sharp, curved beak can easily tear through the flesh and hides of the toughest carcasses. Up to 40 Andean condors have been observed together at a single large carcass. The Andean condor has a long lifespan, in excess of 50 years, but breeds very slowly. Sexual maturity is not attained until 7 to 11 years, after which these birds, like all condors, mate for life. The male conducts an elaborate courtship display involving drawing the body up and fully extending the wings, as well as making loud tongue clicks, while the reddish skin of the neck becomes bright yellow. The female lays a single egg every other year, which both the male and female take turns to incubate for about 54 to 58 days. The young Andean condors take a lot of time and effort to raise, being unable to fly until they are six months old and remaining reliant upon the adults for up to two more years. Scavenging and Diet Condors are vultures, so they keep their sharp eyes peeled for the carrion that makes up most of their diet. They prefer to feast on large animals, wild or domestic, and in picking the carcasses, they perform an important function as a natural clean-up crew. Along the coasts, condors will feed on dead marine animals like seals or fish. These birds do not have sharp predator's claws, but they will raid birds' nests for eggs or even young hatchlings. Breeding and Population These long-lived birds have survived over 75 years in captivity, but they reproduce slowly. A mating pair produces only a single offspring every other year, and both parents must care for their young for a full year. The Andean condor is considered threatened but is in far better shape than its California cousin. Reintroduction programs are working to grow populations of these South American birds. Category:Birds Category:Birds of Prey Category:Raptors Category:Scavengers Category:Vultures Category:South American Animals Category:Endangered Species Category:The Wild Thornberrys Animals